Automatic conveyer and distributer.



H. C. CHRISTOE.

AUTOMATIC CONVEYER AND DISTRIBUTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG,1,I911.

Patented June 8, 1915.

' V 3 SH ET EETl S/Wfm 7% a. (5 MM. W

H. C.'CHRISTOE.

AUTOMATIC CONVEYER AND DISTRIBUTER.

' APPLICATION FILED AUGJ, 19H.

Jaw/@ 06 Patented June 8, 1915.

q w/tweooeo after/mu.

H. C. CHRISTOE.

AUTOMATIC CONVEYER AND DISTRIBUTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.1.I9H.

Patented June 8, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Snuentoz HARRY C. GHRISTOE, 0F ALTON, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC CONVEYER AND DISTRIBUTED" Application filed August 1, 191 1.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY C. CHRrsToE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alton, in the county of Madison and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Conveyers and Distributers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to annealing ovens and the like, and more particularly to a suitable conveyer and distributer for the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine of this class which will be comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and install, and which will have its parts readily accessible for inspection and repair; which will reduce the cost of annealing articles; which will anneal various articles in a positive, definite and automatic manner: which will permit large quantities of articles to be annealed at a time and thereby save time and expense; which can be operated and looked after by unskilled labor; which will eliminate to a great extent the injurious effects of the heat of the oven on the workmen by arranging the machine so that it will not be necessary for the workmen to encounter it directly under ordinary circumstances; which will be suitable for all general sizes and shapes of articles; which can be actuated by any suitable power means; which will automatically take care of the various mechanical actions required during the process from the time the articles are placed in the receptacle for receiving them until they are ejected from the machine and which can be adapted to present annealing ovens without involving any relatively great expense.

Having these general objects in view, and others which will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consists substantially in the novel construction and arrangement of the parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the past great difficulty has been experienced by manufacturers who have need of an annealing process in finishing the various articles in which they are interested because of the shortage of unskilled labor to axist the skilled workmen to produce the said articles in their desired form, these conditions varying in different workmen and localities. This invention avoids these diffi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1915. Serial No. 641,713.

culties and produces an output which is satisfactory in every respect and at the same time reduces the cost of manufacture.

In the drawings, which illustrate by way of example, an embodiment of the invention is set forth.

Figure l is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of Fig. 1, Figs. 3, l, 5,-6 and 7 are details of various parts of this invention.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, Fig. 3 shows in particular the mechanism for controlling the flow of the Ware to the charging device; Fig. 4, shows the mechanism for controlling the motive power for the leer pans; Fig. 5 shows the mechanism for displacing the ware from the false shelf or bottom to the leer pans; Fig. 6 shows the trip mechanism for automatically causing the return of the apparatus to its normal position; and Fig. 7 shows another form of brake mechanism for controlling the flow of ware to the charging device.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the drawings.

In the construction illustrated in the drawings, 1 represents the main walls of an annealing oven which is provided with a number of carriers or pans 2-2-2, which are secured together in any suitable manner so as to permit them to pass through the oven and revolve around a roller 3 disposed at each end of the oven. These pans 222 carry the various articles to be annealed through the oven and eject them when they have completed their travel through the leer or transfer them to other suitable carriers which remove them from the oven. In the forward part of the oven and just above the moving pans 2 is a false shelf arranged transversely across, and in front of the oven to receive the articles to be annealed as they enter the oven and, by means of mechanism to be described, automatically deliver said articles to the pans 2 in order that they may be carried'through the oven. A portion of one of the side walls of the oven is recessed as shown at 5, so that a dumping box 6 may be suitably positioned therein. This box preferably consists of a bottom and three sides, a space 8 being formed in one of the sides to permit the rod 7 to push the article out of the box.

A supporting guideway 9 arranged to hold a number of rollers 10 on which the in-,

coming articles travel on their way to the box 6, is located in the most desirable position that the conditions will permit, but such that the articles will go directly into the box 6 when it is inclined in line With said guideway and permit it to turn to a vertical posi tion so that the article therein will be ready for positioning on the false shelf. At the same time a valve mechanism 7 will be tripped by the box and cause the fluid pressure in the cylinder 7 to actuate a rod 7 and thereby move the article in the said box to the false shelf after which by a suitable weight 11 the dumping box will be returned to its inclined position and made ready to receive another article.

To prevent pieces of ware from entering the dumping box when not in its normal position or to interfere with its operation a brake mechanism 11 is provided which is operated as soon as the box 6 tips, and holds any following articles in check until the box is ready to receive them. One preferred means for actuating the brake mechanism consists in providing a cord attached to the operating rod 11 and the dumping box 6 said cord actuating the braking mechanism when the box assumes a vertical position. No claim is made to any specific means by which the desired result is accomplished as any suitable means can be employed which may be found most expedient.

In order to keep the articles properly in line and prevent them from falling forward a forked shield 12 is provided having a. groove 13' on its under portion so arranged that said shield can travel on the upper portion of a plate 14, normally disposed over the false shelf 4, as shown in Fig. 5. A Weight and cord running through sheaves 15 and 16 is secured to the shield 12 and keeps the latter pressed against the ware formed on the false shelf 4 for the purpose described. The plate 14: is supported and held in position by the rods 15' and 20 which operate in guideways 21 and cylinder 16, respectively. Fastened to the plate 14 is a frame work consisting of crosspieces 18 and a back member 24, the latter shown in Fig. 2 positioned under the cross member 23 of the main frame. The back member 2% has projections 25, 26 and 27 thereon for purposes to be referred to later. A main frame 23 is mounted on the oven and is arranged to support the cylinder 16' and the guideways 21, and is slotted, as

- shown in Fig. 2, to permit the back member 24 to fit therein when in its normal position. Suitable slots are cut in the back member 24 so that the rods 20 and 15' may extend therethrough to the plate 1 1. The

rod 15 is provided with a piston which reciprocates in the cylinder 16 and actuates the rod, suitable pipes 18 being provided to lead any desirable fluid pressure to said cylinder for actuating the piston. An end portion of frame 13 has its upper edge cut away as shown in Fig. 3 on which edge operates a bell crank 41, suitably supported in frame 23, to which is attached brake mechanism 11. The fluid used is permitted to enter the cylinder 16 by the turning of a valve 17 in the piping system 18, this threeway valve bemg operatedby a tripping mechanism 19 which in turn is operated by the piece of ware at the end of the row on the false shelf when full coming in contact with same. At the same time the pans 2 are put in motion and receive the articles from the false shelf as the plate 11 is pushed toward the interior of the oven by the rod 15'.

The guide rods 20 secured to the plate 14: and reciprocatable in guide ways 21 are provided 1n order to keep the parts attached thereto in alinement. The parts 21, are secured to a cross piece 23 which is supported at each end by the frame 23 which is secured at each end in any suitable manner to the front of the oven. The cylinder 16 is secured to, and supported by the frame 23.

The outer portion of frame 23' is provided -:,a

with a projecting arm 21 which has subpro ectmg arms 25, 26 and 27 for the purpose of actuating the threeway valve 17 that controls the pressure in cylinder 16, to return the sliding bar 19 and bell-crank 28 to their normal positions, and to operate the controller mechanism 41 of the motor, respectively. The push bar 19 is arranged to slide within a guide 29 secured tothe frame 23', and is provided with a pin 30 which engages with the bell-crank 28. and has a slot in its outer end portion so disposed that its sides engage with a pin 33 attached to an arm 33 of the valve so that the latter will be actuated therebv when the bar 19 is moved. over by the end piece of ware when the shelf 4 is filled with ware.

Hinged to the false shelf 4 is a side member 34 which is actuated by a rod 85 through the link 37 and lug 3b and the trigger 38. This side member 34 serves to guide the articles on and from the false shelf as described in a latterpart of this specification. ()n the forward movement of the back member 24 the trigger 38 is moved clockwise by a suitable projection on said back member and the toe of the trigger 38 depresses the arm 35 which is moved in the same direction, and through the intervening lugs 36 and link 37 lowers the member 21 onto the oven pans. A cam 31. disposed on one of the shafts of the rollers on which the shelves or pans 2 move, is in contact with a lever 40 that actuates the controlling mechanism 41 of the motor which rotates the rollers of the oven, and returns it to its off position when the rollers moving the pans have rotated a sufficient amount. When the pro jection 27 comes in contact with the sliding link 27, as it will when the back member 24 is moved toward the oven, it moves the link and thereby closes the switch 41 as shown in Fig. 4. The motor then moves the pan rollers and the cam 39 so that the latter when it is in a predetermined position Will raise the lever 40 and cause the latter to act on the toe 41 so as to open the switch. As soon as the switch is opened the motor will tend to stop but will rotate a sullicient distance to permit the roller engaging with the cam wheel 39 to come on a depressed part of the latter. This will permit the switch to be actuated by the operation of the projection 27 in the manner already described. All ofthe parts are suitably supported by means attached to the side wall 1 of the oven. A hopper 42 for reception of the were tobe annealed is disposed at and connected with one end of the guide way 9.

In operation the articles or ware to be annealed are deposited in the hopper 42 and from there they fall onto the rollers 10 and by gravity slide downward toward the oven where they are caught in the dumping box 6, which trips on its pivot and assumes a vertical position. \Vhen the dumping box is in this position the valve mechanism 7" is tripped and permits fluid pressure to enter the cylinder 7 by which the rod 7 is actuated and the ware in the box is pushed therefrom onto the false shelf 4 where it comes in contact with the shield 12 and moves it over. hen the ware has been moved out of the box 6 the rod 7 is returned to its normal position by means of another trip inserted in the mechanism which operates the cylinder in the opposite manner to that already described or it may be returned by the use of a suitable spring. The box then returns to its horizontal position under the action of the weight 11, and at the same time releases the brake mechanism 11 which engages with the rollers 10 and prevents the articles thereon from moving down the rack when the box 6 is not ready to receive them, which can be seen from the drawings.

As the ware is placed on the false shelf 4 it comes into contact with the forked shield 12, pushing the latter to the other side of the oven until it comes into contact with the push rod 19 and thereby actuates the valve 17, permitting air or other fluid pressure to enter the cylinder 16' and thereby actuate the rod 15 and frame 13 whereby the ware on the false shelf is pushed forward onto the pans 2 adjacent thereto. The hinged member 34 is actuated by the rod 35 which is secured in a suitable manner to the frame 23. and is operated by the trip 38 disposed on the frame 13 when the same is pushed over by the rod 15. This member 34 affords a means whereby the ware referred to can be readily transferred to the oven pans 2. This hinged member assumes a horizontal position under these conditions and acts as ashelf from which the ware may slide onto pans 2, as heretofore described. During the forward travel of frame 13 the cut away end portion operates the bell crank 44 which in turn applies the brake mechanism to the rollers 10 thus preventing further flow of ware down the gravity slide during the process of transferring the ware from the false shelf to the oven pans. The return of the frame 13 to its normal position releases the brake mechanism and permits the flow of ware to be resumed.

hen the last piece of ware is added to the row on the false shelf 4 the one on the opposite end moves the-push bar 19 which operates the valve 17 and fluid pressure is admitted to cylinder 16 and the plate 14 attached to the frame 13, is moved toward the interior of the oven and the ware on the false shelf 4 is deposited on one of the oven pans 2. During the forward travel of the movable frame 13 the projecting arm 27 comes in contact with the switch lever 41, closing the switch which starts the motor which drives the mechanism moving the pans through the oven. lVhen the pans in the oven have been moved forward the desired distance the cam 39, on the end of one of the rollers 3 at the end of the oven, actuates lever 40 and opens switch 41 which stops the driving mechanism. At its extreme forward osition the projecting arm 26 closes valve 1 shutting off the pressure in the outer end of cylinder 16 and at the same time admitting pressure at the other end thereby returning the frame 1424 to its normal position and at the same time the bell crank 28 is actuated and returns push rod 19 to its normal position. By means of a stop 43 provided on the side of the oven, the forked shield 12 is prevented from being drawn back along the plate 14 until the ware has been deposited on the oven pan 2 thus preventing the ware from being overturned. \Vhen the ware has been deposited on the oven pan 2 the plate 14 is returned to its normal position which releases the fork 12 from the stop and it returns to the charging end of the shelf 4. It is of course understood that the frame work 13 will return to its normal position after it has accomplished its purpose of transferring the ware on the false shelf 4 to the oven pans through the instrumentality of the rod 15 and cylinder 16.

The drawings are intended to show the various mechanisms in a somewhat diagrammatic manner in order to make them more readily understood, and also because it is anticipated that the various portions of the mechanisms indicated thereon could be readily changed by one skilled in the art without departing from the principles of the invention.

In Fig. 3, a shelf 4 is represented which is suitably attached to the oven and prevents the box 6 from moving too far from the side of the oven, and also affords protection against the ware falling to the floor should the box 6 not operate properly.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination with an annealing oven, a frame secured in front of the oven, a shelf disposed in front of said oven and arranged to receive articles to be annealed, a reciprocatable frame arrangedto actuate on said shelf and to push the articles therefrom into said oven. a hinged member disposed on said shelf and arranged to be actuated when said frame is moved over said shelf so that the articles on the latter will be guided to said oven, a forked guide disposed on said frame and arranged to slide thereon and means for keeping said guide toward the entrance end of the shelf on which the articles are assembled, said means permitting the guide to move toward the other end of said shelf as additional articles are placed thereon, a push rod arranged to engage with the articles when they fill said shelf, a cylinder for actuating said frame, a pipe system for permitting the fiuid pressure to enter said cylinder for actuating it, a valve for controlling said pressure, said valve having an arm thereon arranged to be actuated by said push rod, an arm attached to said frame and arranged to actuate said push rod in reverse direction after the articles on said shelf have been pushed into said oven, said arm having another projection thereon for actuating said valve so that the cylinder will cause the frame to return to its normal position, and means for placing articles on said shelf.

2. In combination with an annealing oven having shelves rotatable on a plurality of drums actuated by a motor, a frame disposed in front of said oven, a shelf disposed transversely in front of said oven, a hinged member secured to the inner edge portion of said shelf and arranged to be readily moved, a

forked guide movable on said frame, a rack arranged to receive the articles for said oven and arranged to guide them so that they will enter on said shelf and means for pushing said articles on said shelf against said forked guide, a push rod disposed adjacent one end of said shelf and arranged to be actuated by said articles when they are ushed adjacent thereto, and means actuated y said push rod so that the articles on said shelf will be pushed onto the shelves of said oven.

3. In combination with an annealing oven having shelves rotatable on a plurality of drums actuated by a motor, a frame disposed in front of said oven, ashelf disposed over said oven shelves, a hinged member secured to the inner edge portion of said shelf and er ranged to be readily moved, a forked guide movable on said frame, a rack arranged to receive the articles for said oven and adaptedto guide them so that they will enter on said shelf, and means for pushing said articles on said shelf against said forked guide, a push rod disposed adjacent one end of said shelf and arranged to be actuated by said articles when pushed adjacent thereto, and means actuated by said push rod so that the articles onsaid shelf will be pushed onto the shelves of said oven, means for controllably guiding the articles to said rack and means for actuating said hinged member.

4. In combination with an annealing oven having. shelves rotatable on a plurality of drums and actuated by a motor, a false shelf disposed in said oven and over said shelves, a hinged member disposed on the inner side of said shelf for guiding the articles to be annealed thereon, a frame reciprocatable and disposed in front of said oven and over said shelves and arranged to push the articles 5. In combination with an annealing oven having shelves rotatable on a plurality of drums and actuated by a motor, a false shelf disposed in said oven and over said shelves, a hinged side disposed on the inner edge of said false shelf for guiding the articles to be annealed thereon, a frame reciprocatable and disposed in front of said oven and over said shelf and arranged to push the articles on the latter to the shelves of the oven",

guides for said frame, means for actuating said frame and said hinged side, and means for actuating and controlling said last mentioned means, a rack arranged to receive the articles to be annealed and for guiding them to said false shelf and means for transferring the articles from said rack to said shelf, and a plurality of rollers arranged to guide said articles to said rack and means for controlling the flow of articles on said rollers, a supportmg frame for the various parts mentioned, means for controlling said motor, a guide disposed on said shelf and arranged to be actuated bythe in-coming articles on said false shelf and means for controlling the movement of said rollers and the frame.

6. In combination with an annealing oven disposed in said oven having one of its sides hinged and arranged to move radially and guide the articles to be annealed from the latter to the shelves of said oven, a rolling guide arranged to receive the articles to be annealed and guide them to said shelf, a rack arranged to receive said articles from said guide and place them in a line with said'shelf, a rod arranged to push the articles from said rack to said shelf, a member arranged to be actuated by the articles corning on said shelf and moved toward the other end thereof, means for keeping said member in close contact with said articles and a push rod disposed adjacent the end of said shelf and arranged to be actuated by said articles when the row thereon is com pleted, a frame having one of its edge portions arranged to receive said member and arranged to reciprocate over said shelf and push the articles therefrom onto the shelves of said oven and to actuate said hinged side, guides for said frame, a piston rod for actuating said frame, a cylinder actuating said piston, a fluid pressure system arranged to actuate said piston, a valve for said system arranged to be controlled by said push rod and means disposed on said frame for actuating said push rod, said valve and said motor when the frame has been positioned over said false shelf.

7. In combination with an annealing oven having shelves rotatable on a plurality of drums actuated by a motor, a frame horizontally disposed in front of said oven, a receiving shelf disposed over said oven shelves, an upwardly disposed side member hinged to the receiving shelf, and adapted to form a guide-way for the ware from the receiving shelfto the oven shelves, a reciprocating frame horizontally disposed in front of said oven adapted to move the articles from the receiving shelf" to the oven shelves, means for actuating said reciprocating frame and hinged member of said receiving shelf, a receiving rack for delivering articles to be annealed to said shelf comprising a rectangular box having three sides and an opening between two of said sides normally held in an incline with said receiving rack and turned to a vertical position by the weight of the article to be annealed, means for ejecting the articles therein on the receiving shelf, and means for returning saidbox to its normal position, substantially as described. A

8. In an annealing oven a receiving shelf horizontally disposed in front of the oven, an inner upwardly extended hinged member adapted to hold the Ware on the receiving shelf and form a guide for the articles to be annealed from said receiving shelfto the oven shelves, a supporting rack provided with a plurality of rollers, a dumping box having three sides and an opening between two of them, pivotedly mounted on the oven, means for ejecting the articles to be annealed from the dumping box to the receiving shelf, substantially as described.

I HARRY C. CHRISTOE. Witnesses:

WM. H. BAUER, GEORGE A. HEMKEN. 

